The Poisoning in the Pub Read Free Page B

I’m in the kitchen when they come, I’ll sign for the stuff. If someone else is there, they’ll do it. Not a
big deal, happens so often.’
    ‘And did you sign for the delivery this morning?’
    ‘No, and obviously I’ve checked out who did. It was Ed. Van arrived just after ten. I was out front fixing a duff light switch in the bar.’
    ‘And Ed didn’t notice anything odd about the scallops?’
    Ted Crisp shook his head wearily. ‘If he’d thought there was anything odd with them, he wouldn’t have cooked them. Like I said, he knows his hygiene regulations inside
out.’
    ‘And the scallops would be delivered frozen?’
    ‘No, Jude,’ he replied patiently. ‘“Fresh seafood” means “fresh seafood”. They’re chilled for transportation, but not frozen.’
    ‘So what did Ed do with them after they’d been delivered?’
    ‘Put them in the fridge in a tray with a light lemon-juice-and-soy-sauce marinade. That’s what he always does for that recipe.’
    ‘And was there anyone else around the kitchen that morning?’
    ‘Well, Zosia would have been there . . .’ Jude looked at Ted quizzically. She knew he had been less than welcoming when the Polish girl had started working for him. The landlord had
a rather unappealing thread of xenophobia in his make-up. But now he could find nothing in his bar manager to criticize. ‘Mind you, she’s about the most trustworthy staff member
I’ve ever had.’ He still couldn’t quite make the compliment sound whole-hearted.
    ‘No waitresses around at the time of the delivery?’
    ‘No, they don’t come on duty till twelve.’
    ‘And Ed does all the cooking?’
    ‘Yes. Zosia and one of the girls might help him plating up if he’s really pushed, but he does virtually everything himself. Bloody genius, he is. That’s why it’s going to
be such a bugger when he goes back up to London.’
    ‘So would Ed have stayed in the kitchen all morning?’
    ‘Most of it. But he would nip out every hour or so.’
    ‘Oh?’
    ‘Boy’s a smoker. Knew he couldn’t smoke in his kitchen, even before the ban came in. So he nips out to the car park or round the back for a drag every now and then.’
    ‘For how long?’
    Ted Crisp shrugged. ‘How long does it take to smoke a cigarette? Such a long time since I’ve touched one of the things, I’ve forgotten.’
    ‘And is there anyone else who might have been in the kitchen that morning?’
    ‘No.’ Ted seemed uncertain, then said, ‘Well . . .’
    ‘There was someone else?’
    ‘Only Ray,’ Ted replied reluctantly. Jude raised an interrogative eyebrow. ‘Ray. You may have seen him around. Short bloke in his forties, looks a bit vacant, walks a bit
funny.’
    ‘Oh, I think I’ve seen him, yes. Does he work for you?’
    ‘Well, not on an official basis. But I give him the odd fiver for sweeping the place out, doing the odd bit of washing up, you know. Ray’s, you know . . . he’s . . .
don’t know what the politically correct acceptable phrase is these days? “Simple”? “Differently abled”? You know what I mean, anyway.’
    ‘Sure. So you give him odd jobs to help him out?’
    The landlord looked uncomfortable at this exposure of his philanthropy. ‘Well, yes, a bit. He is quite useful round the place, though,’ he added defensively. ‘Moving heavy
stuff, you know . . .’
    ‘And Ray’s entirely trustworthy, is he?’
    Again Ted looked embarrassed. ‘Yeah. Not bright enough to do anything crooked.’
    ‘Was he likely to have touched the scallops?’
    ‘No, no chance,’ came the brusque reply. ‘Thing with Ray is he’ll do anything you tell him to, but nothing off his own initiative. He wouldn’t have touched the
scallops unless someone had told him to.’ The landlord looked anxiously at his watch. ‘I wonder what’s happening with that old girl at the hospital . . .?’
    ‘Bettina Smiley.’
    ‘Right. If she pegs out . . . God, that’ll be all I need.’
    ‘She looked terribly